The invention relates to absorbent pads, and more particularly but not exclusively to pads for use in absorbing exudates from meat, particularly where meat is packaged for retail sale in places such as supermarkets. Such pads for absorbing exudates from meat are known as "meat pads".
Meat packaging for retail sale commonly takes two forms:
(i) The use of an expanded polystyrene tray in which the meat is placed, and the package is then wrapped in a film of clear plastics material.
(ii) Where packaging is carried out at a site remote from a retail sale, the meat is commonly packed in a clear polystyrene tray with a heat sealed, clear lid of plastics material.
A problem associated with pre-packaging meat in ways such as those described above is that exudates from the meat build up in the bottom of the tray. Although the presence of exudate does not detract from the quality of the meat, the appearance of the pack is adversely affected, and in some instances fluid can penetrate film wrapped packs.
To absorb excess fluid, a meat pad is placed beneath the meat. However, the pad should not present a highly absorbent surface to the meat which would draw fluid from the meat, causing it to dry out.
Various attempts have been made to produce an absorbent pad suitable for use as a meat pad; for example a laminate of a highly absorbent multi-ply tissue and polyethylene, the polyethylene layer uppermost, or pads of wet strength crepe paper and non-woven fabric. The tissue/polyethylene pads have a problem that when the pads are saturated they have low abrasion resistance and tend to break up. The wet strength crepe paper and non-woven fabric pads tend to lack absorbency and often do not fully overcome the problem of excess fluid.
According to the invention, there is provided on absorbent pad of non-woven fabric having high absorbency and integrity, the pad having on one side a layer of binder material for providing a surface having an absorbency reduced with respect to the remainder of the pad, the remainder of the pad being free of binder.
Suitable fibers for the non-woven fabric material are viscose rayon and especially super absorbent viscose rayons, and polyvinyl alcohol.
Suitable binder materials are acrylic or polyvinyl acetate, or copolymers comprising these materials. The binder may contain a pigment.
The pad may have apertures formed therein to allow fluid to pass through the binder layer.
The pad may be approximately 1 mm thick, and the thickness of the binder layer may be approximately 0.2 mm.
The fabric may weigh between 50 and 200 gm.sup.-2, and preferably between 100 and 150 gm.sup.-2. The binder preferably comprises between 2% and 20%, preferably between 5% and 10% of the total pad weight.
The materials used are safe for their intended purpose.